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Friday, February 28, 2014

Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery EllisonPublication date: February 2014Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

All
her life, clever Aemi has been a slave in the Village of the Rocks, a
place where the sea and sky meet. She’s heard the stories about the
fabled People of the Sea, a people who possess unimaginable technology
who live below the waves in the dark, secret places of the ocean. But
she never dreamed those stories were true.

When a ship emerges
from the ocean and men burn her village, Aemi is captured, and enslaved
below the waves in Itlantis, a world filled with ancient cities of glass
and metal, floating gardens, and wondrous devices that seem to work
magic. To make matters worse, her village nemesis, the stuck-up mayor’s
son Nol, was captured with her, and they are made servants in the same
household beneath the sea.

Desperate to be free, Aemi plots her
escape, even going so far as to work with Nol. But the sea holds more
secrets than she realizes, and escape might not be as simple as leaving…

I
live in Georgia with my wonderful husband and two spoiled cats. When
I'm not writing, I'm usually catching up on my extensive Netflix queue,
reading a book, giggling at something funny online, or trying
to convince my husband to give me just ONE bite of whatever he's eating.

If
you had to pick a shoe that represented your writing style, what
would it be?

Have
you seen those canvas shoes where an artist has drawn original
artwork on the front and sides and is selling them online? I think my
books are like that—in some ways they feel familiar, but they have
their own surprises and twists that make them unique.

Who
has been the most supportive person in your writing career?

My
husband. About two years into trying to get published, I was ready to
give up on my stories and get a job doing something tremendously
ill-suited for me, like being a secretary (I am a very bad secretary.
Very disorganized). He convinced me to give it more time, and he is
probably the sole reason I am published today. He is my first reader,
my strongest encourager, and my most reliable critic.

What
books have you read and loved lately?

I
am almost finished with Finnikin
of the Rock by Melina
Marchetta, and it’s an absolute delight. Witty, immersive, and
utterly compelling fantasy that reminds me very much of my beloved
Megan Whalen Turner books.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Destiny Clark, a young
Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac
Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're
cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is
horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out
her true feelings of rejection onstage. As their rehearsals
begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep
feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that
he has a girlfriend. But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?Weaving
around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first
book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and
explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.NOTE: I received the book from the author in exchange of my honest review.

Okay,
let me tell you something before I get to the real review. I was a bit
biased when requesting the book. Why? Because Mormons. Sure, I'd heard
of them, but do you think I had anything positive to say about them? Of
course not.

No, I have not converted.

But I really
enjoyed this novel, and I will look out for the next installments. To be
honest, I got hooked to review it after reading several excerpts, which
were just intoxicating.

So here we are now.

Writing style:Clean, flows well and makes you want to devour the book. I don't remember seeing anything that bothered me.

Story line:Destiny
and her family are Mormons. She and her siblings go to a Baptist
school, where everyone whispers behind their backs, and more or less
hates them. Isaac is the son of the school's principal, so naturally
he's forbidden to have anything to do with Destiny. Things get messy
when those two teenagers' worlds collide.

Themes:- Being different - does it mean fitting in or standing out?- Keeping your faith steady even under enormous pressure is admirable- Can you judge a person's character by the nature of their beliefs (even though you've got no clue what those beliefs are)?- And of course, can love conquer any obstacle?

Characters:Destiny
is the odd person in every situation, in every conversation. She isn't
shy, but nobody really wants to talk to her because of her faith. It's
as if she's got a pandemic virus and any mild contact would cause it to
spread. Nobody really wants to know her, but they're pretty happy with
pointing fingers. It's weird how those who claim to be real believers,
real Christians, do nothing to prove it. They only find it in themselves
to hate and spread animosity.I was surprised that Destiny was above
all that. Sure, it got on her nerves, but it wasn't like she was stuck
on it. She accepted her family's conversion, she understood what it was
about and she was firm in sticking to it. Too bad she wasn't supposed to fall in love with a non-Mormon.

When
there is a damsel in distress, Isaac is the perfect guy for the job.
Except, the damsel is not distressed at all, and he's sticking his nose
where he has no business. Which, of course, leads to a series of
cascading rippling events that ultimately lead Isaac into Destiny's
willing but uncertain embrace. At first, I thought that Isaac was
just shallow. And narrow-sighted. But it turned out that he was
massively brain-washed to not believe anything that didn't come out of
his father's mouth.Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we
should all go and convert to be Mormons. Or anything that isn't what we
truly believe. What I'm saying is that we shouldn't be hateful just
because someone has a different understanding of Christianity. Or other
religions. Which is why I liked Isaac. He wasn't like the rest of
his circle. He wanted to know what was going on before he could decide
what was right and what not.

Isaac's cousin, Hannah, was sort of
the catalyst to all those events. She took a liking to Destiny and
befriended her. And she didn't care what Destiny did or did not believe.
I liked her spunk, her energy.

In conclusion, I took this novel
to heart, because it teaches of the harm religious bigotry can cause in
the community. It was an enjoyable read, and I will definitely be
waiting for the next installment.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:

Title: IllusionSeries: Chronicles of Nick, Book #5

Genre: paranormal romanceAudience: YA

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Release date: April 1st, 2014Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary:

Be careful what you wish for…

You just might get it.

Nick
Gautier is tired of his destiny. He doesn’t want to be the son of a
demon who’s fated to end the world. Nor does he want to see another
demon or other preternatural creature who wants to kill or enslave him.
He just wants to be normal and have normal problems like everyone else.

But
normality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When he gets sucked into an
alternate reality where his mother has married his mentor and his
Atlantean god best friend has become a human geek, he begins to
understand that no life is free of pain, and that every person has a
specific place in the universe… Even the son of a hated demon.

Most
of all, he sees that his powers aren’t the curse he thought they were,
and that the world needs a champion, especially one its enemies can’t
imagine rising up to defend the ones he should destroy.

Old enemies and new friends square off for a major battle that will either restore Nick to his real world, or end him forever.

Why I want to read it:Okay, honestly? I haven't read this series. I have, I think, a couple of the first books, but with all the review titles I have, there is no time for the books I want to read for myself. But! This cover is really good, and I just couldn't help it :)

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Book Details:

After the Curtain Falls by Ainsley ShayPublication date: January 31st 2014Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Erik never had to be anything other than a freak…until now.

Two
hundred fifty-three days is a long time to fake being normal when night
after night you perform miraculous feats on stage in a freak show.
Thousands have paid to witness the miracle, suspecting nothing more than
a hoax. But it is very real and it is slowly destroying him. Erik is
weakened to the point where he’ll stop performing and start going to
school for the first time ever—in his senior year. His only goal is to
rebuild his strength so he can return to the stage and perform doing
what he loves most in this world. What he didn’t plan for was the
appearances of beautiful Addison and mysterious Naya. Now, unfamiliar
feelings and bizarre new friendships threaten to unbalance Erik’s future
as a miracle-performing freak.

Ainsley Shay
avoids insanity by living mostly in the fiction world. She believes
surrounding herself with positive people, and strives for balance in
everything. She owns more jeans with rips and holes than without; and
has recently found the magic of patches. For her, reading or writing the
perfect sentence is better than the smoothest piece of dark chocolate
melting in her mouth. She is a deltiologist for pure enjoyment, not for
the study of. She longs to move north one day, even though she hates
the cold. (Go figure!) So, for now, she continues to live in warm south
Florida with her incredible husband, three beautiful daughters, and two
lazy cats. (We won’t mention the dog.)

The moment is perfect to lean in and kiss her. And I badly want to put my hand on her cheek and bring my lips to hers. Addison looks at her wrist, my fingers still there. “I should go,” she says shattering my thoughts. I slide my hand from her wrist, along her palm, lingering on her fingertips with my own. Looking up into her eyes, I ask, Are you sure you want to?” She meets my eyes. “No.” Her voice whispers the simple word I was hoping she would say. “But they’re expecting me down there.” My stomach aches when she starts to get up. “Thanks for catching me when I fell.” She brushes the sand off her dress and walks through the wheat grass toward the shore.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Never read a book by this author, but it doesn't matter. I'm judging the cover. So... ... okay, I'm not a tattoo kind of person. I just don't want to mess up my pretty color skin with all sorts of images, no matter how beautiful they look...... but ...... I can't say they don't look sexy sometimes. So, even though I'm sort of tired by the covers that feature almost naked models, I guess I like this one. And the inverted title is fresh.

BOOK INFO:

Tattoo by Cambria Hebert(Take It Off #7)Publication date: March 10th 2014Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis:

***This
is a new adult contemporary novel and contains sexual content and
graphic language. It is not intended for young adult readers.***

A tattoo gets them in trouble… He will get them out.

After
years of cultivating an undercover identity, Brody West is finally off
the case and free to live a life of his own. All that time spent in the
company of criminals and killers left him a little jaded… and with an
identity crisis. He isn’t sure who he is anymore, or who he wants to be.

To
give him time to think, he takes a few days off to go fishing. On his
way out of town, he makes a routine stop at the bank and finds himself
flirting with the girl behind the counter.

But his flirtation is cut short when criminals burst into the bank and shoot her right before his eyes.

In
attempt to administer first aid, Brody reveals a tattoo on his upper
arm. A mark that will drag him and the girl into the kind of situation
he was trying to get away from. But he can’t walk away because he’s the
only thing capable of keeping Taylor alive and bringing down the guys
who shot her—guys who are seriously dangerous.

Cambria
Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and
Hell series, the new adult Death Escorts series, and the new adult Take
it Off series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of
chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree,
couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So
rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently
lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and
furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about
Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com

When
sickness swept through Bronwen’s family, it took the life of her
father, brother, and sister, and left her permanently crippled. On
the stormy eve of her sixteenth birthday, a faerie-witch gifts her a
pair of enchanted shoes. Bronwen slips them on and is healed--but
only when the shoes are on her feet. Her grace and beauty catches the
eye of the king’s son--Urien, a handsome young man who prides
himself on having everything perfect.

When Rhys, an old
acquaintance and Captain of the Guard, recognizes Bronwen, he
threatens to tell Urien her secret. Desperate to keep her deformity
hidden and not to lose the love of handsome Urien, Bronwen quickly
finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit.

Julie Daines
was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and was raised in Utah. She spent
eighteen months living in London, where she studied and fell in love
with English literature, sticky toffee pudding, and the mysterious
guy who ran the kebab store around the corner.

She loves
reading, writing, and watching movies—anything that transports her
to another world. She picks Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy, firmly
believes in second breakfast, and never leaves home without her
verveine.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Alexandra
Parker might be the most powerful Variant the world has ever seen—but
even that won’t get her out of finishing her junior year of high school.

The
challenge of keeping her abilities under wraps during class is daunting
enough, but throw one surly, sandy-haired Jumper into the mix,
and things can get downright complicated.

Declan’s new job? Watch
over Alex while she’s at school and do everything in his power to keep
her from losing control. But as sparks of every kind begin flying
between Alex and her new bodyguard, she's left feeling more unstable
than ever.

When avoiding her abilities results in a surprise
visit from her parents’ killer, Alex’s worlds collide with a bang that
nearly levels Bay View High.

With her freedom now squarely in the
Agency’s crosshairs, Alex will be faced with the fight of her life...
and a decision that could forever alter the course of her destiny.

Jena
Leigh is the author of the Variant Series novels REVIVAL and
RESISTANCE. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, she spent ten years in
the mountains of North Carolina before returning home to the lightning
capital of North America. A shameless geek, she loves coffee, loud
music, bad sci-fi movies, Skittles, and shenanigan-filled road trips
to faraway concerts.

The
inspiration for the Variant Series as a whole came from many
different places, but the original spark for Revival
came in the form of my
morning coffee. One day at the coffee shop, the barista had drawn the
shape of a phoenix into the foam on my latte. The image set my mind
to wandering and I spent the next half hour writing out a scene where
a young girl was being chased by a wall of flames through a burning
bookstore. That piece would eventually become the opening scene of
Chapter Four in Revival.

Can you
give us a hint to what we should be expecting in your second book?

In
Resistance,
book two in the Variant series, the stakes are raised even higher for
Alex and the gang. As Alex struggles to get a grip on her newfound
powers, she’s faced with a far more daunting assignment—survive
the last few months of her junior year without accidentally losing
control and leveling Bay View High.

But the
risk of outing herself and the Variant population at large would be a
lot easier to handle if the Agency wasn’t still breathing down her
neck… and if Declan weren’t quite so distracting
in his newfound role as Alex’s bodyguard. As sparks of all kinds
start flying, Alex is left struggling to keep her head above water
and her heart in one piece. And when her freedom lands itself in the
Agency’s crosshairs, Alex will be faced with the fight of her life.

Where
do you like to write?

Anywhere
and everywhere. I seem to do my best work in unfamiliar places. I’ve
written on planes, at the mall, in doctor’s office waiting rooms…
If I have my computer or a journal with me, I’ll usually try to get
a few words on the page. There’s something about traveling that
helps me to tune out distractions and focus, while at the same time
inspiring my writing.

Do you
decide character traits before you sit down to write the book, or as
you go along?

Character
traits are usually decided on as I write. I very rarely have an
entire character in mind when I sit down at the keyboard. I usually
start with a few random traits—a name here, a face there, a quirk
or two to distinguish them, an important bit of backstory that
forever changed their life or altered their personality—and then
the personalities of my characters become clearer to me as I make it
further into the story.

Who is
your favorite character in the series, and why?

Oh, that’s
a tough one! It seems to change from day to day. Right now I’d
probably have to say that Declan’s sister Kenzie is my favorite.
She’s sassy, sarcastic and I can always count on her for a witty
rejoinder. Kenzie’s scenes are always enjoyable to write.

Tell us
about the biggest challenges you face in your writing process.

I think
the biggest challenge I have is in plotting out a story. When it
comes to my writing, I’m a total pantser and I despise
outlining. Writing only feels natural to me when my characters are
the ones telling the story. I love being just as surprised as my
readers are when something unexpected happens in the narrative. When
you’re working on a series, however, that doesn’t always work.
You need to have some
idea of where the story is headed before you begin, otherwise it’s
very easy to write yourself into a corner.

If you
could give a young writer any tip, what would it be?

Write
constantly and read everything you can get your hands on. It seems
like such an obvious piece of advice, but it’s quite possibly the
most important things you can do to improve your writing.

If you
weren't writing, what would you want to be doing for a living? What
are some of your other passions in life?

Rock star!
I mean, really. Who hasn’t
wanted to be one at some point? Aside from writing, I’m incredibly
passionate about music. I love it, but I haven’t got a lick of
talent (although that doesn’t stop me from singing at the top of my
lungs in the shower every morning). If there’s not a song playing
in the background somewhere, I usually don’t know what to do with
myself.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

When
Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she
regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor
to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the
last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed.
The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day
looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t
been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma
has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in
Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for
Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good.
Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect
medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week
to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought
flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s
perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Claudia
lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. Two beagles who
believe they are human, and a bichon who thinks she’s a
beagle. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company.
She’s a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story.

Classic… I’d
like to think that throughout the years I have learned from
Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cervantes, Wilde, Asimov, Dickens and Austin.
Let’s not forget Shakespeare, who wrote about Italy without ever
visiting the country.

Q: Name one
entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

C.B. My friends,
and also my social media friends. Members of Facebook I met five
years ago and now from twitter, the community of indie authors is
amazingly supportive. Not only with my writing, but on a personal
level too.

Friday, February 21, 2014

NOTE: I received the book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When
I requested Witch Finder I was super thrilled. The cover and summary
had me hopeful that I was getting my hands on something beautiful. On a
story worth reading and committing to memory.

No such luck.

Which is why, we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover I guess. Pity, that. It has a beautiful cover.

Anyhoo, let's get to it already.

Writing Style:The
writing was good enough. It was captivating to a point, but not so much
that I'd go head over heals with it. I guess I was expecting a bit
more, what with the suspense in the summary.

Story line:Hmm,
I'm fairly certain this story could've done a lot better if there was
more action and more decisiveness in the characters. But the ones we
were supposed to like were meek, fearful and impossible to relate to.
Also, everything was kind of obvious from scene to scene and I'm fairly
certain that's one reason why I couldn't really get to enjoy the book
more.

Themes:- The evil must be uprooted;- The weakness of a girl in a time when men reigned;- The power of the select few;- Being different can be dangerous;- Commitment to any cause could jeopardize your life.

Characters:Beginning
with Alexis, Rosamund's drunken brother, I believe that I can say he
paints a horrible picture of all males of the witch kind. He's a
selfish, mean, rude brute. He's a spoiled brat who cares about nobody
else but himself.

Mama, Rosa and Alexis's mother, was a horrible,
selfish woman. She was pushy, commanding and cares only about money,
power and Alexis. To her Rosa is only a means to accomplishing status
and nothing more.

Luke is a boy with nothing special about him
but the fact that he can identify a witch when he sees one. He sees
their auras, basically, and that makes him useful for the brotherhood of
people who do the witch hunts. Since the horrible murder of his
parents, Luke's on a mission to find the person who made him an orphan,
even though he knows the man is a witch. A powerful dark witch. And
nothing, not even a girl with a strong passionate red in her aura could
make him change his mind. Or could she?

Rosa, despite what
everyone wants to believe, is an innocent girl with dreams of freedom
and a kind heart. She yearns for love compassion and kindness but gets
none of those things. At least not from her family. Which is why meeting
Luke is such a new experience for her. He is gentle, he is careful, he
is different. And she can't stop her heart from beating for him.

Sebastian
was the ultimate bad boy. Or actually he was a grown man. And he was
really evil and black hearted. I actually think he killed his own
father. Anyway, people admired this guy, as if he was this superior
being. Alexis and Mama were quick to bow to him if he as much as
twitched a finger. Gosh! Sebastian was a heartless bastard and I hated
him instantly. His air of superiority got on my nerves from the very
first time I met him on the page.

In conclusion, I don't even know what to say. It was an okay book, but I'm not sure I can recommend it.

Okay, so I read What I Boy Wants in my free time. It's not a review title, so I'll be quite short in what I write.

This
is the first YA title I read by Nyrae Dawn. I'm not sure what I
expected exactly, but perhaps it was more than what I got. Not that 4
stars isn't a good rating, but you know. We always strive for more.

Anyways,
I liked the story line. The coincidental e-mail to the Hookup Doctor
was just cute. Of course, I knew (just like everyone else who read the
book probably) exactly what was going on from the very beginning, but
that didn't make it less entertaining. Just too predictable.

Sebastian
was the person behind the Hookup Doctor alias, who gave advice to
females about dating/hooking up. He had where to learn from, seeing how
his mom had numerous screwed up relationships. Anyway, he was cocky and
selfish, and funny. And oblivious to the signs that he was supposed to
be able to recognize about females' body language.

Aspen had no
idea what she was getting herself into when writing to the Hookup
Doctor. And how could she possibly know her best male friend was behind
the alias? Her secret crush for many years, whom she'd finally started
to find the strength to uncling from? Gosh, no. And when she found
out... she was furious. She was disappointed. And she was confused.

With
all of it getting out of control. With all the mistakes that Bastian
managed to get himself do, this story has a beautiful happy ending. Not
that I'd expected anything else, but I have seen weird things happen in
the end of books.

So, if you're looking for a light, funny read, What a Boy Wants is just your thing.

About Soul Betrayed

The battle between Shadowed and Guard has brought destruction and terror to Gate Seven and
now Maggie wants revenge. As the only after-life being who can save the souls from ultimate
death Maggie comes face to face with her own human body, preserved for a century, waiting for
just this moment to arrive.

Yet, how far will Maggie go to exact her revenge on the Shadowed? And when she comes face
to face with her past, how will she survive the onslaught of memories she thought long gone?

For when the truth comes out all is not what it seems and Maggie has finally run out of time...
She must choose her destiny or watch all she has perish in the fight for her life!

About Katlyn Duncan

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive
imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own
stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her
since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for
books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and
she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

Scientists
are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly
three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying.
Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in
front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer
had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible
for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with
revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening
conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just
beginning.

Karice
Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult
and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also
enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and
two English bulldogs.

Karice
would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest
news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an
email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she
can.

“We can’t run. They’d totally get us before we got away,” I
said, hoping he’d correct me, tell me that we had a chance.

He didn’t.

He slammed his fist into the steering wheel and looked over at me.
When the outbreak happened, we never looked back. We were always on
the move, running from the disease that took our families and
friends. That was the key to survival. Never stay in one place.
Always stay on the move. Now we had nowhere to move. I glanced over
at Gavin and saw the fear in his eyes. Even with everything we’d
encountered, his eyes had never held this amount of terror.

“Babe, whatever happens…”

“Knock it off,” I said.

“We have nothing to fight them with, and a horde this size needs a
distraction.”

“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, shaking my head. The fear was
pulsing through me at an unstoppable rate. “We didn’t live
through the outbreak to die now.”

I gritted my teeth, grabbed the civilian anti-zombie kit from under
my seat, unzipped it, and looked for anything inside that might help.
We were instructed to drop these kits off at government collection
stations. I was grateful we never got around to it.

Gavin held down the ignition and reverse buttons at the same time in
a vain attempt to override the safety sensors.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

“Try rebooting the car. Turn it off and take the key out. Give it a
few seconds and slip the key back in. Maybe if you pop it in reverse
before the car can sense the zombies, it’ll let us reverse,” I
directed.

He nodded, biting his lip, and turned off the engine allowing the
moans of the horde outside to be heard. I took a deep breath and
looked out my window that was now completely blocked by tattered
shirts and non-oozing wounds pressed against the glass. It would only
be a matter of time before they began to break through the glass. The
moans turned into a chorus of humming.

“One-Mississippi-two…” Gavin’s words wrapped around me.

I prayed silently to the same God I’d prayed to many nights before.
He listened then and I hoped he’d listen now.

I grabbed two knives that were in the kit and flipped the blades
open, locking them in place. The anodized orange handles were larger
than the actual blades. Not comforting. I handed one to Gavin.

“There’s still a Louisville Slugger on the floor behind us,”
Gavin said. His brown hair was cut short. That was one of the first
things he did after we were vaccinated. A haircut and a shave to
celebrate our survival. He still looked young but not as young as we
both did before the outbreak.

I slid toward the center console, crawling as far from the passenger
window as I could get. Gavin’s breathing was heavy, and I felt the
heat rolling off him as he continued to struggle with what we were
facing.

I dug around in the bottom of the bag for the zombie deterrent. My
hand clasped around the ADD, also known as the Audible Distraction
Device, and I dropped the kit to the floor.

The car rocked back and forth as the number of beasts grew on both
sides, creating a trance-like rhythm that was terrifying.

“Grab the bat,” Gavin instructed, his voice low.

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